Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday raised the issue of maritime security at the G7 Summit in Evian, France, calling for the safety of global sea lanes and the protection of seafarers.
The remarks came amid an ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz that has claimed the lives of multiple Indian civilians.
Addressing the session on 'Forging New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity', with US President Donald Trump seated beside him, PM Modi welcomed progress made in West Asia peace efforts, while noting that the conflict had inflicted significant casualties and economic damage on friendly nations in the region.
"The disruption of maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz has caused damage to economies across the world. Several Indian civilians have lost their lives," the Prime Minister said, according to the text of his address released by Prime Minister's Office.
"It is our responsibility to protect the seafarers who connect all nations through global maritime trade. We must ensure sea routes remain safe, and that seafarers can carry out their work without fear," he added.
The remarks carried particular weight given the scale of the maritime crisis triggered by the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
Three Indian seafarers were killed in an attack on an oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz last week, as hostilities in the critical shipping corridor raised global alarm over food security, fuel prices and disrupted supply chains.
The vessel, the Palau-flagged tanker MT Settebello, had 24 Indian sailors on board when US forces struck it for allegedly violating the naval blockade against Iran.
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The UN's maritime agency confirmed that incident brought the total number of verified seafarer fatalities to 14 since the crisis began on February 28, with 46 attacks on international shipping recorded in and around the Strait during that period.
In his broader address, Modi called on world leaders to move beyond a donor-recipient model of global partnership and toward one rooted in mutual trust and equal standing, saying the world today suffers not from a shortage of resources but from a shortage of trust.
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